


Supreme Courting

by shanachie



Series: Your Kind, My Kind [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek doesn’t understand either, Derek is a creeper!wolf, F/M, Future Fic, M/M, Scott is the worst werewolf ever, Stiles doesn’t understand, allison is awesome, communication issues, dead things, kinda AU from after season 2, preslash, why should he do things the normal way?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-29
Updated: 2013-01-29
Packaged: 2017-11-27 11:24:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/661437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone is leaving dead animals for Stiles and he’s pretty sure he knows who it is, but he has no idea why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Supreme Courting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WhoGeek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhoGeek/gifts), [swing_set13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swing_set13/gifts).



> I’m sure I had a long and involved author’s note for this, but I can’t remember what it was now. I do want to amuse you all and let you know that this was called ‘dead animals’ while I was writing it. And I referred to it that way the whole time I was writing it.

John Stilinski stopped, his foot raised in the air, just before he stepped out his front door. He stared down at the small, furry body on the front stoop. “Stiles?” he called after a moment. “Please tell me you have no idea why there’s a dead rabbit on our front porch.”

“A dead… No. Of course…” Stiles skidded around the corner, grabbing the door frame so he wouldn’t slam into his father. He looked down at the dead animal. “No, Dad, I have absolutely no idea why there’s a dead rabbit on our porch,” he said as straight-faced as he could.

“Stiiiles,” John said warningly.

“Dad, I swear. I have no idea where the rabbit came from, but…” Stiles nudged it with his foot. “I’ll get a shovel and bury it, okay?”

“Don’t touch it. Just in case.”

“Just in case what?” Stiles looked after his dad as the sheriff headed towards his car. “What you think it’s going to get up and hop away?”

“Stranger things have happened!”

“Stranger things,” Stiles muttered as he shut the door and walked around the house to grab the shovel. And right into what felt like a brick wall. He flailed about, then felt a hand grab his sweatshirt and pull him back up right. He blinked, then breathed a sigh of relief when he recognized the person that had grabbed him. “You have _got_ to stop doing that!”

“Did you find the present?” Derek asked in response.

“The what?” Stiles turned back from grabbing the shovel. “The? You mean the rabbit? Are you serious?! It’s a _dead_ animal! Derek! _Not_ appropriate!”

Derek looked at him in confusion.

“No. Seriously. We are going to talk about this. Later. Right now I need to go take care of your… lovely… gift.”

Derek stared after him as the younger man walked back around the house. “It wasn’t big enough,” he decided before fading into the shadows.

Stiles glanced behind him, actually not surprised to find Derek gone. He sighed before poking at the small body on the porch. When it didn’t move in response to his prodding, he scooped it up, and carried it into the backyard. As he dropped the last shovelful of dirt over the body, he pulled his cell out of his pocket; glancing at the display. “Shit,” he swore when he realized if he didn’t get going he’d be late for his first class. He took a moment to drop the shovel back where they stored it, then ran for his Jeep.

Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf 

Scott’s nose lifted into the air, his head tilting to the side as he did that strange air sniffing thing the werewolves seemed to do when they couldn’t _quite_ place a scent. “Dude. Why does your Jeep smell like something _died_ in it?”

Stiles’s face contorted in disgust as he peered into the front seat to see a red body laid out on the passenger seat. “Oh. Gross. Ug. Are you kidding me? Damn it all! _Derek!_ ”

“Really?” Scott asked, wrinkling his nose at the fresh wave of scent as Stiles opened the door.

“Yes. This is the second one today. Could you… I dunno. Do something with it?”

“I’m not touching that!”

“You’re the…” Stiles lowered his voice so passer-bys couldn’t hear him as easily, “werewolf.”

“Doesn’t mean I wanna touch a dead animal!” Scott exclaimed.

Stiles rolled his eyes as he went around to the back of the Jeep. “Worst. Werewolf. Ever,” he declared, as he unhooked the med kit from where it was strapped down and began digging through it. “You’re holding the bag then.”

Scott grumbled, but accepted the bag from Stiles, watching as the human snapped on gloves and picked up the dead fox with a disgusted look on his face. “That is so gross,” Scott commented.

“You think?” Stiles replied. “I’d really like to know what Derek is doing.” He tied the bag off and looked around for a garbage can, heading off towards it. “Before he depopulates Beacon Hills.”

Derek moved farther back into the shadows of the trees as Stiles inadvertently headed towards him. His green eyes followed the younger man avidly as the human bounce-walked towards the trash can, carefully not swinging the bag in his hands. The Alpha frowned as he watched Stiles drop the bag into the trash can before heading back towards the Jeep where Scott waited. He couldn’t believe Stiles had once again rejected his gift. What was it going to take for Stiles to understand that he was Derek’s chosen? His mate? And that Derek was capable of taking care of him?

The Alpha watched as the two boys joked around, playfully shoving at each other. He wasn’t worried about Scott hurting Stiles, the younger werewolf would probably get himself killed protecting Stiles if he was in real danger, so he didn’t stretch his hearing to see what they were talking about. Instead he simply watched until they drove away.

Clearly he needed to go bigger.

Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf 

Allison let herself into the apartment she shared with Scott, not at all surprised to find him engaged in the middle of a video game battle with Stiles. She shook her head at the sight, pausing to work her boots off as she waited for a break in the game. “Stiles, are you staying for dinner?”

“For the night,” he replied, glancing over his shoulder. “Hi, Allison.”

“Hi, Stiles. Figured out it was me?”

He waved his game controller. “Hey, no extra senses here. How was work?”

“It was fine. Chinese for dinner?” she asked, bending to kiss Scott hello.

“From Fat Wao’s?” Scott questioned.

“Did you have a bad day?” Allison wanted to know as she headed into the kitchen to hunt up a menu.

“Not me. Stiles. Derek is being weird,” Scott explained.

“What’s tall, dark, and broody doing? And how do you know it’s him?” Allison dropped into Scott’s lap, stretching out her legs so they were in Stiles’s lap. “Could it be something else?”

“Who else would be killing animals and leaving them for me to find?” Stiles asked. “And I don’t mean mauled bodies. Perfect kills, not bloody messes.”

Allison frowned, then poked Scott in the side. “Why don’t you go order food for us? And get it; I’ll stay here with Stiles.”

Scott heaved a sigh, but scooped Allison up, depositing her on the couch where he’d been sitting. “Fine. I can manage this.” He pointed a finger at Stiles. “No fair playing until I get back.”

Stiles tossed the controller onto the coffee table. “Yeah. Yeah. Whatever.”

Once Scott had left, Allison swung around until she was leaning against the other human. They had grown close over the years as two members of the pack unaffected by the werewolf bite. Neither of them felt uncomfortable being in each other’s space and it was more relaxing than anything else. “So you want to give me more details on what Derek’s been doing?” Allison asked when Stiles didn’t say anything after a few minutes. “And how do you know it’s him?”

“Who else could it be, Alley-Cat?” Stiles asked, twisting a lock of her hair in her fingers. “The kills are perfect. Necks snapped and not a speck of blood where he left them. But I seriously don’t get it. Why does he keep leaving dead animals?”

Allison picked up Stiles’s hand from where it was resting against the back of the couch. She wrapped her fingers around his, squeezing tightly for a moment before relaxing her hold. “I’m not sure. But I’m sure he doesn’t mean anything bad by it. Stiles, he’s got to have something in mind. Derek never did anything without a reason. Even when it was a dumbass reason; he had a reason. Have you tried to talk to him?”

“I haven’t even _seen_ him!”

“Huh. That…might be a problem.”

Stiles flailed his hand around, taking hers with it since they were still connected. “Ya think?!”

“Well, just try to pin him down and talk to him that might be your best bet. I know he’s not the most verbally communicative, but well. Asking might get you somewhere?”

“I’d like to pin him down,” Stiles grumbled, “but I’m not sure I want to talk to him after I do.”

Allison made a face that he couldn’t actually see. “Ew. I didn’t actually need to know that.”

“Hey that was as non-descriptive as I could make it. Unlike Scott and your twenty-first birthday. Which I do not think I will _ever_ get those images out of my head thank you very much.” Stiles pushed her off of him as he shuddered. “Really, _really_ did not need that information.”

“So there really is a point of too much with you?” Allison replied with a laugh as Scott let himself into the apartment, juggling a couple of bags of Chinese food. “I was beginning to wonder.”

Scott looked at them in confusion. “Do I want to know?” he asked.

“No, probably not.” Stiles got up, moving to relieve Scott of one of the bags. As he headed to the kitchen, he dug his phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to Derek, _We need 2 talk. The sooner the better._ Satisfied with that, he turned his attention to the food and making sure he got his share of the food.

Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf 

Stiles stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing a hand across his buzzcut. It was getting a bit long and he attempted to make a mental note to get a haircut soon. Unfortunately it was a bit too soon after getting up for the notation to stick. He fumbled around with the coffee pot until he realized it already had liquid in it. Pouring coffee into a mug, he cradled it in his hands as he wandered back into the living room. He almost tripped over the furry body that he swore hadn’t been there when he went into the kitchen. Looking down, he let out a yelp as he realized it wasn’t a stuffed animal like he’d first thought.

Allison burst out of the bedroom, crossbow in hand, and Scott on her heels as Stiles leaped back from the body. She lowered her bow when she saw there was no eminent danger. Staring at the body, she asked, “Is that a wolverine?”

“I…think so?” Stiles questioned. He glanced at the coffee cup in his hand. “God. What the hell? I don’t think I need this now. Not the wake-up I wanted. Who wants a dead animal first thing… Jesus.”

Scott peered over Allison’s shoulder. “Is it really dead?”

“Are you kidding me?” Stiles asked. “You can’t tell?!” Turning to Allison, he commented, “I’m telling you. Worst. Werewolf. _Ever!_ ”

Allison rolled her eyes before nudging Scott. “How did you not hear Derek? Or smell him?”

“Uhh,” Scott answered, looking sheepish.

“Never mind.” Allison set her crossbow aside and stepped around the dead animal, slipping her arm through Stiles’s. “Come on. We’ll take care of the body and then go out for breakfast. Maybe if I text Derek, we’ll get a response.”

“What about me?” Scott asked.

“What about you?” Allison replied. “You haven’t been supportive at all. So if you want to be supportive, you can come. If not, stay here.”

Scott looked at them like a whipped puppy for a second, then perked up. “I’ll get the bag for you. I’m sorry, Stiles. I didn’t realize he was getting this bad or I’d have paid more attention.”

Stiles shook his head. “It’s okay. I don’t think he’s actually going to hurt me. The animals aren’t dangerous. Just weird.”

Allison poked the wolverine’s body with the tip of an arrow, frowning. “It seems like I heard something about this somewhere. If I could just remember where…”

Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf 

Allison pulled to a stop in front of the rebuilt Hale house and peered through her windshield. She didn't see any of the pack at the moment, but that didn't mean they weren't watching her. After minute, she stepped from the SUV, careful to keep her empty hands in plain view. "I just wanna talk to Derek," she called towards the house.

Boyd stepped onto the porch. "Why would he want to talk to you, Argent?"

"Come on, Boyd. We've at least been friendly for the last few years," Allison protested.

"Because you've stayed off our land," Erica said from behind her.

Allison just barely kept from jumping as she turned so she could keep both of them in her view. "It's about Stiles."

"Boyd. Erica." Derek's sharp call of their names was enough to have the betas backing down and turning total attention to their alpha. He jerked his head towards the house and when Erica looked ready to protest, backed the order up with a low growl. "What do you want?" he asked when both of them had disappeared indoors.

“I said already. I just want to talk to you. About Stiles,” Allison replied.

Derek crossed his arms. “I realize that you and Scott have claimed him as yours, but that doesn’t mean I can’t speak to him.”

“And neither Scott nor I have a problem with that. We _do_ have a problem with you _not_ talking to him. And freaking him out.”

Derek’s demeanor changed, although only someone who had known him for a while would have noticed. “Is he all right?”

“He’s fine. A little confused why you aren’t talking to him. Why you keep leaving _dead_ animals for him.” She relaxed slightly. “But you and I both know why, don’t we? How long have you known, Derek?”

“I don’t know any…” Derek started, but stopped when he saw her look. “Longer than I care to admit,” he replied.

“And you couldn’t just _talk_ to him? Maybe explain to him how you feel? You had to freak him out?”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“Dead animals are not exactly the way to court a person,” Allison pointed out.

“I was just trying to show him that I could provide for him. Then I realized that providing for him meant providing for his father also.”

“So you went bigger,” Allison guessed.

Derek nodded once, quickly. “I can provide for Stiles. I can take care of him. And his father. If that’s what they need.”

“Did you ever think that’s not what he wants?”

“It’s how things have always been done,” Derek replied.

Allison sighed. “But did you think about the other person involved? Stiles has always been pretty independent. He’s not looking for someone to provide for him or take care of him. He wants a partner, a companion. Look, Derek, I might be overstepping my bounds, but I hope not. Stiles _likes_ you, despite the way your relationship, your friendship even, started out. But you aren’t going to get what _you_ want if you continue the way you’re going. I’m willing to help. If you want.”

The look on Derek’s face was almost constipated as he tried to work through his conflicted feelings. Accepting help from Allison of all people was difficult on a good day, not just because she was an Argent; but also because she’d tried to kill him and he’d inadvertently helped cause her mother’s death. But clearly his efforts weren’t working with Stiles and if he wanted the younger man, he’d need to accept it. “Fine.”

“Well don’t sound so excited,” she told him. “Come on. Tell your pups that you’re going for a ride. We’re going shopping!”

“We’re taking my car,” Derek told her.

“Of course we are.”

Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf 

Allison almost grinned at the horrified look on Derek’s face as he parked at the Beacon Hills Mall. It wasn’t as big as some of the malls she was used to, but it was more than suitable for their purposes. She turned to face him as he glared at the building, as if he could make it crumble under the force of his gaze. “We don’t have to do it this way,” she pointed out. “We could always order what you need online. Or someone in the pack could acquire it for you.”

“It doesn’t prove anything if someone _else_ gets it for me,” he ground out. “ _I_ have to do it.”

“All right,” she agreed. She watched Derek, who was gripping the steering wheel as if he could pull it from the column. “Do you have any idea what you want to get for Stiles?”

“You said practical or you implied practical. So things he can use or needs. Things he can use to help or defend the pack, since that is what is important to him.” He paused for a minute and then added, “And things that would protect him, since that is what is important to me.”

“That’s so adorable,” Allison gushed.

Derek glared at her, growling softly although she didn’t flitch in response. “Can we just get this over with?”

Allison reached out as if she was going to pat his shoulder, but then clearly thought better of it. “Sure.” As they walked towards the building, she asked, “So what are you planning to get?”

“A laptop. A sweatshirt.”

“What else?”

Derek shrugged, a graceful easy movement. “If he still rejects me, clearly I’m not meant to have a mate.”

Allison laid her hand on Derek’s forearm. “Stiles _is_ yours, Derek. I think he’s always been yours. We’ll figure this out. Now. I think you need just a couple other things. A blanket, because you know as well as I do that Stiles falls asleep in his Jeep or on the porch of the house during training. And Mana Energy Potion.”

“Because Stiles needs more energy?” Derek asked.

Allison grinned at the question. “Well, no. But he might need to stay up sometimes. Or want to. And this will help. And I know he likes it.”

“We’ll see,” Derek replied. His face grew even more stoic as they made it to the doors. “You actually expect me to go in there?”

“It’s the best place to get what you want,” Allison pointed out.

“It. Stinks.”

“Yeah, it kinda does,” she agreed, “but if we move quickly and you don’t complain too much; we don’t have to stay long.” She grabbed his arm and hauled him through the door. “Just keep reminding yourself it’s for Stiles.”

Derek growled softly at her in response, digging his feet in, and pulling her back from the door. “I am _not_ going in there. It’s noisy. And stinks. And just no. It’s too much.”

Allison turned back around and faced him. “Look. I know it’s not fun. But unless you want me to pick out the stuff for Stiles, you _have_ to go in there. What would make it better?”

“Stiles.”

“Not exactly a possibility. Unless you want to explain all of this to him, what…wait. I have an idea.” She darted back to his car, glad they weren’t parked far away and returned a moment later with a t-shirt Stiles had left in the car a few weeks prior. “How’s this?”

“How did you know it was there?” Derek asked, even as he tucked the shirt close to his neck.

“Is that helpful?” Allison replied, neatly avoiding the question.

“Fine,” Derek grumbled. “Let’s go.” He yanked the door open and stalked into the mall.

Mentally Allison threw her hands up and followed the glowering werewolf into the building of teeming humanity. “What are we getting first?” she asked as Derek paused just inside the doorway as if overwhelmed.

“I really don’t care. Can we just get this over with?” Derek replied almost in a growl.

“Then let’s get the laptop ordered. And I’ve got an idea of where to get the sweatshirt and blanket. There’s pretty much only one place to get the Mana,” Allison said, steering Derek in the right direction without actually touching him.

“As few stores as possibly, Allison.”

“Yeah, I know.” She grinned. “Sourwolf.” Derek growled in response and she took his elbow, pulling him into the electronics store. “I hope you have an idea of what you want,” she cautioned as they looked around the store.

“The best,” Derek replied. “I don’t care what it costs. Just find me the least annoying sales person so we can get this done.”

Allison scanned the store, finally locating a punky looking girl standing off to the side. She had a lanyard around her neck that denoted her as an employee and Allison made a beeline towards her before anyone else could notice she wasn’t helping a customer. “Hi,” she said as soon as they were within hearing distance. “You guys work on commission, right?”

“Um, yeah, sorta,” the girl replied, eying them suspiciously. “More a points thing. But close enough.”

“Perfect. You want to help us.” Allison motioned to Derek. “He wants your top of the line laptop. Best of everything.”

“Are you serious?” The girl looked between them before grinning. “Yeah. Absolutely.”

“Nothing he won’t need,” Derek cautioned.

“He?” the girl asked, looking over her shoulder. “I’m Jasmine by the way.”

“The computer is for Derek’s boyfriend,” Allison answered gullibly. “It’s a surprise present.”

“Ooooh. Did you get yourself in the doghouse?” Jasmine asked, reaching for a laptop.

“No,” Derek grumbled as Allison tried and failed to hide a smile. At least she managed not to laugh out loud.

“Okay, so my best suggestion is to pick a shell and then build it out, picking a hard drive, a sound card, a graphics card, etc. for the laptop,” Jasmine explained.

“And you can do all that?” Derek asked. “And have it ready for me today?”

She nodded after a minute. “I probably can. It’ll take a bit. Do you want to pick specifics?”

“No. Just.” Derek glared. “Whatever is the best.”

“Got it. So we’ll need a deposit. And you can pay off the…” Jasmine stopped as Derek shook his head.

“I’ll pay it all now.”

“I won’t know the total until I finish everything,” Jasmine explained as Derek dug his wallet out of his pocket and handed over a credit card. “I can give you an estimate, but…”

“Just take the number and put the bill on it. Change it when you need to,” Derek told her. “Allison, give her your number.” He turned and stalked out of the store.

“Is he always so…?” Jasmine blinked at the speed with which Derek left.

“Believe it or not, that was polite for Derek,” Allison answered. “He’s kinda used to being obeyed. So what paperwork needs to be filled out?” It didn’t take her long to fill out the paperwork that Jasmine handed her, adding an extended warranty and putting everything in Stiles’s name. Still she knew Derek would be pacing by the time she was done and she hurried though it as much as she could. Finally she wrote her cell number down for the girl and checked that the computer would actually be ready that day.

“Provided there are no problems,” Jasmine cautioned her.

“Well, I’ll come pick it up then,” Allison said.

“So is he like your brother or something?” Jasmine asked, as she ran the credit card through the machine.

“Or something,” Allison replied, refusing to elaborate. She accepted the card and the paperwork, scrawling a signature on everything before turning it over. “Thanks for the help.”

Surprisingly Derek wasn’t pacing when she exited the store, but he was standing with his back to the wall; his hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to keep his claws under control. “Is it done?” he asked.

“It’s going to be about three hours until it’s done,” she replied. “I figure Brookstone for the sweatshirt and blanket. And Suncoast Video might have the Mana. Otherwise I can use my phone to search for it.”

“If we finish and the computer isn’t done, I want you to come back for it,” Derek said. “Now. Which way?”

“This way.” Allison pointed in the right direction, pulling something up on her phone. “If you don’t mind. I was thinking this SeV hoodie for Stiles. Since it has a lot of pockets.” She tilted the phone so Derek could see it.

“Does it come in red?” Derek asked after glancing at the screen.

Allison stopped in the middle of the walkway, staring after him for a minute, before jogging to catch up since the alpha had kept walking. “I thought you hated that sweatshirt!”

“I never said that.”

“You growled every time he wore it!”

“It wasn’t warm enough.”

Allison stared at him for a minute, then realized the alpha was quickly outpacing her, and quickly ran to catch up. “Really? That was your objection?”

“What did you think my issue was?”

“Uh, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf ringing any bells?”

“I don’t subscribe to things written when humans have too much to drink,” Derek replied. “Where’s the store you mentioned?”

“Just ahead. So. Honestly? Drunken fairy tales?”

Derek leveled her with a _are you kidding me?_ look and pointed at the store. “There?”

“Yeah. You know it’s just a story right?” Allison asked as she led the way into the store. “But you have to admit, it’s a cute idea. If you want to eat Stiles…”

“Do. Not. Finish that sentence,” Derek growled. “Find someone to help us.”

“Yes, sir, Alpha, sir.” Allison grinned as she looked around for a sales person.

“Cheeky,” Derek muttered, as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “No respect.”

Allison grinned as she located who she was looking for and made a beeline for the younger boy, who reminded her of Scott when they’d first met. “Hi. We’re looking for a couple of things,” she said, her smile not faltering as he stared at her. “I’m really hoping you can help.”

“I’ll um I’ll try?” he said. “What is it?”

“A blanket for one thing. The warmest you have; either fleece or wool. Or. Do you have something warm and waterproof? And then the SeV hoodie. In red if you have it,” Allison explained.

“Money isn’t really the issue,” Derek broke in.

The boy nodded quickly. “We do have something warm and waterproof. We sell it mostly for sporting events. And the SeV, normally it doesn’t come in red, but we got a new shipment in recently, I can check?”

Allison glanced at Derek, then nodded. “Yes, please.”

The sales boy returned in short order, his arms burdened with a supply of blankets, and hoodies. “You didn’t say what size,” he said, “so I brought one of each. And a few different blankets.”

“Derek?” Allison asked. “Do you have a preference?”

Derek rifled through the blankets, rejecting the top five; although Allison couldn’t see any reason for it—before settling on one towards the bottom of the pile. “This one,” he decided, smoothing a hand across the top of it. “This one is perfect for him.” He turned his attention to the hoodies, although that didn’t take nearly as long. “And this one.”

“Do you need anything else?” they were asked.

“Do you carry Mana Energy Potion?” Allison questioned.

“No, sorry.”

“So one more stop,” Allison said, as Derek handed over his credit card again to pay for the items he’d picked out.

“It better be the last one,” he commented. “I want this finished.”

“We could always skip it,” she suggested. “It’s up to you. You wanted to get the gifts.”

Derek considered it for a minute, accepting his card back, and handing the bag off to Allison. “I’ve had enough. Is the laptop ready?”

She checked her phone, nodding after a minute. “Looks like it’s done. Do you want to go out and I’ll pick it up? And did you have a plan for getting everything to Stiles?”

“I’ll take care of it,” Derek said.

Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf Teen Wolf 

Stiles stared at the innocuous package sitting on his passenger seat, reaching through the open window to poke it tentatively. When it gave under his finger and didn’t bite back, he decided it was safe enough to open. Ripping the paper that was covering the item off it, he dug his fingers into the blanket that he revealed. “Derek Hale, what are you up to?” he asked the empty air. Slinging the blanket over his shoulder, he headed into his house.

Entering his room, Stiles frowned as he tried to figure out what was bothering him about it. At first glance nothing looked out of place, but as he crossed the room to drop the blanket on his bed, he realized the books he had dropped that morning were now neatly stacked. And there was a laptop sitting centered on his desk. It wasn’t his laptop because his was tucked into his backpack still. A red sweatshirt was hanging off the back of his desk chair.

“All right, creeper wolf, I know you’re here somewhere,” Stiles said.

He waited for a minute and when nothing happened he continued, “So I think I’ve figured this out. Or I have a pretty good idea. You were trying to show me that you could do things for me. That you were capable of…giving me things that I needed. And that you could…”

“That I could provide for you,” Derek’s voice came from his closet.

Stiles spun around, peering into the darkness. “Hey, there you are.” He waited another minute and when Derek didn’t appear, he said, “Why don’t you come out and talk to me?”

“No. You didn’t _want_ me.”

Stiles sighed. “Are you kidding me, Sourwolf? I never said I didn’t want _you_. But dead animals, really?”

“You rejected them!”

“Okay, I feel really stupid talking to my closet. Could you come out here?”

“No.”

“You sound like a pouty little boy right now.”

“Am not.”

“Are so.” Stiles threw his hands up. “Not helping.” Crossing his arms, he informed him, “I’m going to throw this very awesome laptop and sweatshirt out the window if you don’t get your hot ass out of my closet and talk to me.”

“Hot? Ass?” Derek said, poking his head out of the closet.

“Did I say ‘hot ass’? I didn’t mean that. I meant stubborn ass. Of course. You are the most stubborn ass I have ever met. Are you coming out of the closet or not?”

Derek growled, but crawled out of the closet, crossing his arms as he stood up. “So talk.”

“I want to know what you wanted. What you were trying to do. Were you trying to drive me insane?”

“No.”

“Then what?” Derek mumbled something in reply, causing Stiles to roll his eyes. “You know, not all of us are blessed with werewolf hearing. So you left me dead animals. Which. Gross, Derek, seriously.”

“Yes.”

“And I rejected them. Which upset you.”

“Yes.”

“But you were trying to prove you could take care of me…” Stiles paused at the look on Derek’s face. “Provide for me? And Dad?”

“Yes.”

“Aw that’s kinda… Were you werewolf courting me?!”

“Yes,” Derek ground out almost reluctantly.

“Why didn’t you say that?”

“It’s not the way it’s done.”

“Well, I’m thinking something went wrong. Since you stopped leaving me dead animals.”

“You kept rejecting them,” Derek muttered.

“Of course. Derek, dead animals left on my doorstep is not how you get someone to agree to date you. All you had to do is ask.”

“You said ask,” Derek said, advancing towards him. “So I’m asking. Can I kiss you?”

“What the hell have you been waiting for?!”

Derek grinned, the smile transforming his face, as he closed the rest of the distance between them. He stopped just before he touched Stiles and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Oh my god, Derek!” Stiles grabbed the lapels of Derek’s jacket, hauling the older man up against him. “Yes!”

Derek breathed in, ghosting his lips across Stiles’s, before pressing closer. For a moment, he kept the kiss chaste, but then fingers wormed their way under his shirt and he growled as the long, nimble digits found bare skin. “Stiles,” he growled.

“Stop being so tentative, Sourwolf,” Stiles replied, digging his fingers into Derek’s sides. “That’s not a kiss.”

Derek ran his hands down Stiles’s back, until they rested just above the curve of his ass. As he pressed his lips against the younger boy’s, he opened his mouth, licking across the seam of tightly closed lips. Stiles immediately opened his own mouth, sucking Derek’s tongue inside, and moaning as the werewolf mapped his mouth. “Mine,” Derek growled as he pulled back far enough that they were both able to breath.

“Yeah. Yours, you possessive freak.” Stiles grinned to take the sting out of his words. “Like you had no idea. So what’s with the blanket? And the laptop?”

“And the sweatshirt,” Derek added.

“Yes, and the sweatshirt. What are those?”

“You rejected me,” Derek said.

“What?” Stiles pulled back so he could look Derek in the eye. “No, I didn’t.”

“You threw the animals out.”

“Is that what it meant? No, Derek. I. I wasn’t trying to. I. It was dead animals, Derek. No one wants dead animals.” Stiles pressed his lips to Derek’s again. “But you? You, I am not rejecting.”

A high pitched whine burst out of Derek’s throat, almost inadvertently, and he buried his face in the crook of Stiles’s neck. “I just. I. Stiles.”

“I know, Derek.” Stiles rubbed his hand against the back of Derek’s neck. “I know. Come here.” Pulling back, he tugged Derek with him towards the bed. “Come on, wolfy.”

“Stop that,” Derek growled.

“Cause that’s going to encourage me to stop calling you names.” Stiles grinned. He pushed the werewolf down onto the bed, then crawled up after him, snuggling down into his arms when Derek looked ready to protest. Grabbing the blanket he’d tossed at the end of the bed, he pulled it up over them. “Is this what you decided to replace the dead animals with? Cause I like it much better.”

Derek tucked his nose down against Stiles’s neck, breathing in the scent of home and comfort that was thick and heady, trapped within the blanket. Instead of answering with words, he nodded his head.

“And the laptop?”

Another nod was Stiles’s answer and a tightening of the arms around his body.

“Awesome. I can’t wait to check it out.” Stiles grunted as the arms tightened again. “I didn’t say now!” He ran a hand through Derek’s dark hair. “I’m comfortable here. In fact, I don’t think I’m moving for the rest of the day. Although we _are_ going to talk about this in _detail_ at some point.” He tugged on Derek’s hair until the werewolf lifted his head. “But it can wait, okay?” He wiggled against Derek, smiling as a groan issued from him. “And more kissing? Cause I’m all for that.”

“Stop. Moving.”

“Having an issue, Derek?”

Derek rolled their bodies, pining Stiles beneath him. “Not rushing this,” he whispered. “So. Stop wiggling.”

“Oh.” Stiles stilled as he realized part of Derek was harder than usual. “Oops?”

“Stiles,” Derek growled.

“That’s really not helping,” Stiles pointed out.

“What do you want me to do?” Derek asked.

“Well, what I really want is for you to fuck me. But I’m assuming that’s not an option right now,” Stiles replied. “So what do you want?” He reached up and sank a hand into Derek’s hair, pulling him closer, and kissing him. “Is there something you need? To know that I’m yours? To show the others that I’m yours?”

Derek rearranged their bodies, situating Stiles next to him, and then wrapping the younger man in his arms. “No.”

“Derek. If you need something, you need to tell me.” Stiles twisted around so he could look at Derek over his shoulder. “What is it?”

“Mates.” Derek ran a finger down Stiles’s arm. “Mates will mark each other. Even a werewolf will be marked by a true mate.”

“Is that what you need?” Stiles questioned.

“Eventually,” Derek said. “But not until you’re sure.”

“Not until I’m… Why wouldn’t I be sure?!” Stiles rolled over and stared at him. “Why wouldn’t I be sure? Why wouldn’t I want you?” He looked Derek in the eye for a minute. “You don’t think I’m your mate. Even after all this. You want me, but you aren’t sure.”

“I want you. I want you to be. But. I don’t know. And I’m…What if you aren’t?”

“Then we’ll deal with it when we find that out,” Stiles said. “Can I try?” When Derek just stared at him, Stiles propped himself up so he could look at Derek more easily. “Will you trust me?”

“I’ve trusted you for years.”

Stiles smiled slowly at his answer, leaning down to nip at Derek’s lips. “Tilt your head,” he whispered. When Derek complied, Stiles pressed a kiss to his cheek before running his tongue along the artery in his neck. “If I’m yours,” he said. “Then you’re mine.” He swirled his tongue across the tendon of Derek’s neck, smiling against the werewolf’s skin as Derek’s breathing hitched beneath him.

“Stiles,” Derek ground out.

“I got you. I always got you,” Stiles assured him. Pressing his mouth down against Derek’s neck, Stiles sucked a mark into his skin. When he pulled back, he smiled to see it didn’t immediately begin to fade. Rubbing his thumb across it, he said, “I think this proves what you wanted to know.”

“I guess you’re stuck with me.”

“No one I’d rather be stuck with,” Stiles assured him.

 


End file.
